OYesterday saw a whirlwind of speculation and then shocking revelations, when Lee Chin Cheh of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) declared he was quitting his State Assembly (DUN) post, opening the way for a new by-election.
Despite denying the rumours just days earlier, it was announced that Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, patriarch of PKR, leader of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) federal opposition coalition and Permatang Pauh MP, will be running in the Kajang by-election. Should he win, this opens up the possibility of Anwar replacing Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim as Selangor Menteri Besar, a move denied by all sides up to this point, but heavily guessed at after a prolonged and public power struggle between Khalid and PKR Deputy President and Gombak MP Azmin Ali. Anwar stepping into the MB post could be a way to mitigate the effects of this internal power struggle on the Selangor administration, and in general the image of Pakatan Rakyat as a viable alternative to the federal government.
The other component parties within the Pakatan Rakyat have voiced their support for fielding Anwar as the candidate in Kajang, despite some grumbling from Selangor PAS Youth Chief Syarhan Humaizi Abdul Halim, who considers PKR’s move an “act of betrayal to the Pakatan Rakyat colaition partners”:
But despite rising support for PR in the last General Elections, this move has apparently struck many casual and expert observers as being ill-conceived. Bersih 2.0, the electoral reform watchdog group which organized the massive street rallies over the past few years calling for cleaner and more transparent elections, condemned Assemblyman Lee’s resignation as nothing short of a “betrayal of trust”, as it seemed to have been carried with the interests of his party being put over those of the voting constituents. Bersih likened the act to the events of 2009’s constitutional crisis in Perak, where former DAP Assemblyperson Hee Yit Foong’s resignation tipped the numbers in the Perak State Assembly to Barisan Nasional’s (BN) favour. Political analysts, such Wan Saiful Wan Jan of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) seems to agree with this line of thinking, saying that Anwar is putting PKR ahead of the people with this strategy, with the Kajang by-elections set to cause “unnecessary problems” for the people.
Here’s Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah’s Facebook update explaining her stand on the matter:
Of course, politicians from Barisan Nasional itself were eager to frame the Kajang situation as further proof of Pakatan Rakyat being unable to govern the country, with Twitter heavy hitters, Youth and Sports Minister and BN Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin of UMNO and Gerakan Youth Chief Tan Keng Liang, leading the charge:
What a joke. Might as well crown yourself Sultan of Melaka while you’re at it. @anwaribrahim #SayaMensi
— Khairy Jamaluddin (@Khairykj) January 28, 2014
classic Anwar ….2 days ago said won’t contest, today say contest…. just like Sept16
— Tan Keng Liang (@tankengliang) January 28, 2014
Azmin Ali has since stepped forward to explain the fielding of Anwar in the Kajang state seat as a “tactical move”:
Pandan MP and PKR Strategic Director Rafizi Ramli has also posted a lengthy and somewhat apologetic explanation of the move on his official website, reiterating the party line that “Selangor has to be doubly better than what it is today if it were to become a showcase for Pakatan in its quest for Putrajaya. Just as Istanbul was a launchpad for Erdogan and Jakarta is a launchpad for Jokowi, Selangor can be a great launchpad for Pakatan to take over Putrajaya.”
Public reaction to the ongoing events has been cynical and tired, especially from BN supporters, with even some liberals and progressives, traditionally a support base for PR initiatives, voicing disdain for the move.
It is an intenal bickering, a party matter. Need to have a by election to solve?
— Tuanbro Ah Bong Kor (@bongkersz) January 29, 2014
PKR r u truly parti @Keadilan rakyat or just @AnwarIbrahim fan club? @Bersih2 says #Kajang seat issue a betrayal http://t.co/YdJrGfywS7
— Xenobio (@coolvirus) January 28, 2014
“Say something I’m giving up on you” – A Great Big World featuring Christina Aguilera, sums up what I am feeling right now. #Kajang
— A T M (@ATMology) January 29, 2014
Salah satu dari 10 Manifesto Anwar Ibrahim utk #PRK Kajang pic.twitter.com/6fdhtyNpsV
— Portal Berita (@MyKMUnet) January 29, 2014
@anwaribrahim I hope you lose so that #Kajang rakyat can teach you a lesson.
— Mohd Marzuq Ikram (@MarzuqIkram) January 29, 2014
Anyone wanna sponsor me to contest against @anwaribrahim in #Kajang ??
— SiNGHAM Ji (@SinghamIyer) January 29, 2014
And as always, there were those who tried to get memetic with their responses to the situation in Kajang:
A wise bat once said, you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. #AnwarIbrahim #Kajang
— Vivek V Velan (@Malaysian_Macha) January 28, 2014
“@WestWingReport: “millions of Americans outside Washington are tired of stale political arguments,” Pres. says”#kajang #satay #kangkung
— faidz sanusi (@faidzsanusi) January 29, 2014
Jom Ubah – #PRKDunKajang – @anwaribrahim pic.twitter.com/droCMd2RyK
— R Sri Sanjeevan (@SanjeevanSS) January 28, 2014
Of course, for Azmin Ali supporters who have been hoping he’d take over the Selangor State government, they have this to console themselves with:
Spare a thought for @AzminAli today. Hang in there, YB. pic.twitter.com/jVf1ERJQsj
— dax muhamad (@daxmuhamad) January 28, 2014
